Waqas Mahmood, 27, came face-to-face with Olivia Whiteside's mum and other relatives at the inquest into her death. And Mr Mahmood, from the Burnley area, told them he was not the person who knocked down Olivia...

The inquest was told that eye-witnesses described seeing a black Range Rover similar to that driven by Mr Mahmood in the area at the time of the accident. His mobile phone records also appeared to place him in the Dalton Close area, the inquest was told.

Mr Mahmood was arrested in connection with the crash but police said after the hearing that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution of death by dangerous driving. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hunter added that because more than six months had passed since the incident, they could also not bring careless driving charges… Mr Mahmood, speaking later, said the inquest had exonerated him. He said:

"I completely deny any involvement in Olivia's death The coroner's verdict reinforces that it was nothing to do with me"...

Giving evidence, Detective Inspector Gary Brooks... said that following the Lancashire Telegraph's coverage of the incident, a woman who had been outside a take away on Copy Nook told police she had seen a black Range Rover in the area with an unusual number plate. The plate belonged to a grey Hyundai but after altering one digit, police traced a black Range Rover to the Mahmood family, with Mr Mahmood as one of two insured drivers, the inquest was told...

Officers then carried out cell site analysis of Mr Mahmood's two mobile phones. One was found to have been used on the day of the accident on a journey from Burnley to Blackburn, the hearing was told. A signal responding to a mobile phone mast also placed it in the vicinity of Dalton Close, police told the inquest...

Outside the inquest, DCI Hunter said:

"We share the frustration of the family because we have not been able to bring who we believe is the person responsible to justice. It is fair to say that limitations of the six-month rule to prepare any charges for careless driving has prevented us from prosecuting the person who we believe was responsible."